decaffeinated

Tea has been an incredibly trendy ingredient for the past two years. Recently, I was bombarded by so many different types of new tea products that I was quite overwhelmed. So much so that I avoided the enormous amount of tea booths at the Fancy Foods Show.

Until one — the Republic of Tea's Be Well Red Tea line — caught my eye. With names like "get happy," "get some zzz's," and "get relaxed" the collection of South African rooibos teas are each specified to change a certain aspect of your life. They're caffeine free and naturally healthful. They come in brightly colored, tin canisters. I enjoy their unpretentious packaging, clean herbal flavor, and soothing qualities.

Do you drink decaffeinated tea? Have you tried Republic of Tea?

To me, that cup of coffee in the morning is all about the caffeine. It's my vice (well that and chocolate chip cookies)--but we all have them, right? But I do commend all of you decaf drinkers.

If you like coffee but not the caffeine, soon you are going to be able to remove the caffeine all by yourself.

The DeCaf Company has created a coffee stirrer that will literally remove the caffeine from any ordinary caffeinated beverage. There is a lot of crazy technology involving words like molecularly imprinted polymers that goes into it, but it basically means they have created a super cool stirrer that attracts the caffeine to the stick after just a few swirls round your cup.

Once the new caffeine reducing stirrers are available to the public, decaf coffee drinkers will be able to enjoy the coffee in its original form (without the chemical process the beans go through to become decaffeinated).

Fit's Tip: These are great if you are heading to a friend's party and all she has is regular coffee and you're dying for a cup.